Fiolet. True Love. /mini-pack/.

What has changed since the release of this album? It immediately strikes that the sound of Fiolet has become noticeably heavier – and this, along with the rather significant insertions of electronics, creates a slightly different background for perception of the lyrics. Not that it is more aggressive, but there is a nuance. On the one hand, technically there is more drive – on the other hand, it is possible that it is these sound impurities that create the strange sense of detachment, parallel existence of the musical and textual lines. But there is still the emotionality of Kolos’ vocal presentation – and it is precisely his voice that sews together the fragments of images and impressions to form a holistic, vivid, and intense picture. And there is – maturation, rethinking of ideals, a fraction of sarcasm, another one of the thousand steps into the unknown. And – a refusal to abandon the quest, the capacity to believe and to implement. There are things that one doesn’t need to prove in disputes – one just needs to do them. True Love – what else to say.

The first thing that catches the eye is the musicians' regard to the pop rock aesthetics of the 1980's and the 2000's. It's not about copying as such – but this almost-retro flavor works as a properly selected spice: it helps to open up the base. Well, and the base is the ability to create good melodies and expressive arrangements..

..this collection of seemingly separate songs actually sounds almost like an album: colorful and, oddly enough, holistic. What makes it so – the sense of freshness, the feeling that they enjoyed creating these songs. And this, in the end, is virtually the most important thing.

"Fiolet" traditionally offers listening to not only pleasant music, but also – smart, witty lyrics. About what is and what will be. About that everything passes. About that everything changes – and remains invariably-incomprehensibly-incredible. Even when it hurts. However...

In the world, there are songs for fun, for escape, for kissing – lots of them. While these ones are song with the realization that they are grounded on truth. For the sake of which fear was defeated. And this feeling is very valuable.

In relation to the previous album, it was already mentioned that Druha Rika has changed significantly. Now we can only confirm: that was really not a passing discovery but a qualitative step. Above themselves – and the new work is an evidence of that there is no way back, and nobody needs it.

Less than 2 years have passed since the release of the previous album "Over the Poles". But – this was the period from 2013 till 2015. Lots of things have happened and changed, and even more is still ahead. AntytilA have not stayed aside – both in human terms, and in terms of creativity...

The second album by YouCrane clearly shows that the band has found its own voice, and that this voice is easy distinguished from the crowd. A certain very nice mix of romance with a touch of the 1980s, latent lo-fi-aesthetics, healthy carelessness in intonations – all of those create a new fairy tale atmosphere..

The new disk combines songs about a variety of facets of our life – there is blues and loneliness, exciting gospel and sex, punk and showing off, trip-hop and anger, poignant tango and war. The world is changing every day, dogmas keep replacing each other, but we hope...

...a semi-acoustic recording that allows one to fully experience the inner poetics of the space. The guitar, percussion, bass, occasionally keyboards – well, and, sure, singing (complemented with recitative). Actually, one does not need anything more – at least, one does not perceive any shortage.

A powerful album – at least, in terms of sounding. And it is not only about the flurry of sound – even though its energy does shake you well. But here it is a bit more delicate: eventually, the overall style has not undergone any major changes – but one cannot get rid of the feeling that within them O.Torvald stepped over themselves.

Serhiy Zhadan is one of the most "flexible" contemporary authors in Ukraine in what relates to the means of communication with the public. This is true both about live performances, and about the ways of, actually, publications. And "Fight for Her" is just another experiment of the kind. Cool poetry, tough, "raw" music, and interesting graphic...

According to participants of the band, the album "Listen Loud!" created in the difficult circumstances of the independent Ukrainian scene is a symbiosis of the melodic British indie and the assertive American guitar "garage rock." Short and precise. But it is worth adding that if the proportions were different...

The first thing I noticed when I started playing the album was that I was intently listening to the lyrics. It's nice because it does not happen that often. This is important – because not only the sound matters, because semantic vibrations also weigh, and emptiness is very different from pauses. Moreover, one immediately notices the quality..

S.K.A.Y. can "bang" not only a melodic, beautiful ballad – but undoubtedly drive pieces as well, and "The Edge of Heaven" is just a good evidence to that. The album is quite concise – but thus it is as expressive as possible. Both in the melodies, and in individual music phrases – it is, so to say, precise. While the lyrics are, on the contrary, mostly romantic...

It's nice that there are still bands that undertake performing just rock, without flirting with unclear definitions of style, without the pop aplomb or pretended mystery. And the cello as part of it does not interfere. Just honest music, straight and simple (but not empty) lyrics – you know, not that much is needed...

In fact, this album is a folder containing two debut pieces at once. The main one – from the WhaTsup project, while another third of the volume is their side project "Fekaladka". Well, Kharkiv musicians like doing it differently from the rest – thus, the title of the album can be viewed as banter...

"These two albums are a most vivid representation of the spirit of these six years on stage, – says the band leader Zhenya Halych. – While the last album "Primate" is already something new for us, and the debut one, "O.Torvald" was the search for our sound, "Acoustic" and "Use Us" are the basis of O.Torvald's work in recent year..."

..the group decided to remind themselves and everyone that they had started with post-punk. In contrast to the lyrical and melodic "Acoustic", here the emphasis is on the drive, so the rhythm section worked more assertively, and there are more than enough "heavy" guitars. The texts are, nevertheless, not devoid of certain lyricism, often irony...

It was in 2012 when several songs from the album were written and presented. Other tracks were finished only a month ago. While the recording sessions were under way members of the band got through rather significant issues in their lives. Definitely, those issues couldn’t help but leave a mark on the new vision and feelings towards music...

At first glance – YouCrane just perform quality pop-rock with a variety of electronic admixtures. But, as known, the devil is in detail – to which the band definitely pays a lot of attention. Therefore, that results in a rather peculiar and interesting atmosphere, in which the positive charge does not block the sun for indie moods.

"NedaremnO" tries to sound different. Not too "trimmed" – and it has its advantages, because lack of syrup makes the taste much more honest. There is some special drive – that young groups had in abundance 10 to 20 years ago, but which many of the current "novices" often lack.

...the sound appears really clear, light, and sometimes almost fragile. Actually, it is possible to compare – because, in addition to new songs, you'll find here several songs from the previous album "In You". This is not yet homely comfort – but this is not desperate thunder of large scenes either, definitely.

Their first album, "Buduvudu" was a couple years ago one of the best Ukrainian rock debuts. However, it was fair enough. Well, and the second album – that is more quality and craftsmanship, more self-awareness. More questions – and, perhaps, more open answer...

As far as we know – this is the first album in Ukraine (at least, among officially released ones) dedicated to bikers. Dedicated not only formally, but also thematically. However, the disc "Biker Sich" has been released just recently – but it was a collection of favorite songs, not the author's dedication album. A significant difference.

In spite of the love and respect of the group participants for works by "Beatles" stated in the autobiography, this is not about copying, imitation – and it is good. Perhaps, the only common feature is that the "Asymmetry of Emotions" also plays pop-rock. Maybe, with the prefix "indie". And, of course, very emotional.

Although musicians of the group define their style as pop rock – we should note that "rock" here weighs obviously more than "pop". To the extent that in the sounding of "Role Model" it is possible to discover, for example, elements of punk rock in the American style...

S.K.A.Y. becomes more rock'n'roll, clear, driving. The recognition effect is still there – actually, the group from the very beginning had its specific manner – but one feels more confidence, experience, understanding now. Possibly, it is right now that S.K.A.Y. has finally discovered its palette, and the album "!" in this sense sounds as a sort of summarizing...

One should only give an attentive ear to the texts, and under the clothes of hooliganism, you will find not verbal tricks, but live reflections. Far not always these reflections are sunny and romantic, because our life as well happens to contain too much salt – but. Important is not only what you see, but also how you look. Flit, for example, does not brick itself up in deadlocks..

"Opium" honestly searches for its own rock language in texts and in music, and this is nice. In our opinion, "Opium" plays simple classic rock – and this, you should agree, is not that easy. Besides, the song lyrics do not resemble a simple set of rhymes and meter at all – the experience lived through, live thoughts and feelings are obviously inlaid into these words.

..the debut disc by the group "Dalai Lama" is a mouthful of cheerful hope indeed. Not least of all – due to diversity of the material. Dalai Lama switches from alternative rock to grunge, mixes up punk and disco, changes the internal tension of trip-hop for the seeming transparency of post-rock, quotes funk inside out, just has fun with the sound – and does it confidently.

Motor'rolla, disregarding obstacles, has managed to make a step ahead in quality – it seems that right now the group has finally found its real sounding, has reached a sort of their own standard. This is important – because, having such a work in one's reserve, it is possible to freely experiment in any direction. Durable foundation – is there.

The guys from the Chernigiv group ShyZO define their own music as sweet rock. At least, it refers to the debut album, which you now see in front of you – the musicians quite consciously decided to sweeten it, so that the way to the audience did not become too difficult and thorny. The position is, certainly, clear, thank you for warning – but let us disagree.

Extremely fast, really – it seems that there are yet no analogues to such speed on the Ukrainian scene. Just a few months have passed from the moment when Rura released her debut album – and here we already have the second album, and active work on the third album is in process. Surprising, but also nice capacity – isn't it?

It is exactly such music that practically the whole Europe listens to now – the young part of population, accordingly. It is exactly such music that Ukraine lacks at present. At least, such bright cocktails of punk, pop, grunge, Brit-pop – practically nobody does that. And it is worth trying...

...having changed the vocalist, recorded a bright album and dramatically altered their image (playing true rock in neat suits – that is well-aimed, indeed)) – Motor'rolla has presently became one of the most interesting Ukrainian alternative teams. I mean alternative not as the music style, but just as a method of self-expression, world perception.

In order to make it a bit clearer at once, we will say the following: the group Rura was assisted in preparation and release of this album by, among others, the groups Perkalaba and Pan Pupets. And not only (im)morally but also physically...

More than 10 years have already passed since the moment of the first release of this album – by the way, it then appeared on cassettes. Thus, due to the present second release all fans of Motor’rolla have a considerable reason for joy – such rarities do not still appear too frequently in our space.